Manawatu v Waikato
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Manawatu
1 Malakai Ngatai, 2 Vernon Bason, 3 Feleti Sae Ta’ufo’ou, 4 Rob Harley, 5 Taine Roiri, 6 Te Kamaka Howden (C), 7 Joseph Fabish, 8 Moses Bason, 9 Jordi Viljoen, 10 Brett Cameron, 11 Pena Va’a, 12 Ngani Laumape, 13 Kyle Brown, 14 Taniela Filimone, 15 Drew Wild
Reserves: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Liam Pratt, 18 Misinale Nafualu Epenisa, 19 Reuben Allen, 20 Rowan Slater, 21 Jai Tamati, 22 Sam Coles, 23 Tofuka Paongo
Waikato
1 Mason Tupaea, 2 Sean Ralph, 3 Sosefo Kautai, 4 Hamilton Burr, 5 Dylan Eti, 6 Xavier Saifoloi, 7 Mitch Jacobson (C), 8 Luke Jacobson, 9 Rui Farrant, 10 Aaron Cruden, 11 Joshua Moorbey, 12 Gideon Wrampling, 13 Aki Tuivailala, 14 Oli Mathis, 15 Tepaea Cook-Savage
Reserves: 16 Liam Gilheany-Black, 17 William Martin, 18 Gabe Robinson, 19 Andrew Smith, 20 Senita Lauaki, 21 Charlie Marsh, 22 Lima Sopoga, 23 Daniel Sinkinson -
Very windy in Palmy for a change. The Poo lead 22-12 after playing with the wind.
Some soft tries let in by both teams. Apart from one moment of madness, Cook-Savage is looking good at fullback.
Waikato have late changes too as Sinkinson started on the right wing in place of Mathis. No Lauaki or Sopoaga on the bench either.
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I am not impressed with Waikato's coaching this year, particularly the backline attack. I assume Sweeney is in charge of this. Some SR players are looking very ordinary at the moment. I realise that this was essentially a Waikato B forward pack (outside of the Jacobsons) but they are still providing enough momentum to create more.
And why take off the best Waikato back early in the 2nd half? Cruden was poor but he plays the full 80 mins. Let's see Cook-Savage have a go there FFS.
